Syngenta Seeds Reaches Settlement with EPA

A settlement has been reached between the Environmental Protection Agency and Syngenta Seeds.

Syngenta was cited for violations of federal pesticide regulations at its farm in Kekaha, Kauai – for failing to notify workers to avoid fields recently treated with pesticides. Workers at the farm were exposed to harmful chemicals and were hospitalized.

The EPA found that Syngenta also failed to provide both adequate decontamination supplies on-site and prompt transportation to a medical facility for the exposed workers.

Under the settlement, Syngenta will spend 400,000 dollars to develop a training curriculum in five languages for their growers in Hawaii, Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands. Syngenta will also pay a civil penalty of $150,000.

Alexis Straus is the EPA’s Acting Regional Administrator for the Pacific Southwest.

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Straus says EPA officials will be attending the training sessions to make sure Syngenta is upholding its end of the agreement.